Casualty spoilers: Robert Bathurst debuts as surly Russell - but what is he hiding?

Robert Bathurst as new Casualty surgeon Russell Whitelaw. (Image credit: BBC/Alistair Heap.)

Cold Feet star Robert Bathurst joins the cast of Casualty this week, as surgeon Russell Whitelaw in an episode called Unearthed on BBC1 on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 8.30pm (See our TV Guide for listings).

What is the secretive senior medic hiding?

Elsewhere in the tenth episode of the 11-part Public Property boxset, which picks 24 hours after Brace, Brace, Brace, Siobhan McKenzie bans Stevie Nash from her husband’s funeral, Faith Cadogan’s son goes missing, and Dylan Keogh receives an indecent proposal!

More Casualty spoilers for Unearthed below…

Welcome Robert Bathurst AKA Russell Whitelaw

Robert Bathurst is an actor whose reputation goes before him, having starred in a string of popular TV hits, including Cold Feet, Wild at Heart, Downton Abbey, Toast of London and The Larkins. This week in Casualty episode Unearthed he brings his special touch of class to the role of Russell Whitelow, a Holby surgeon of standing.

Respected Russell Whitelaw, makes waves this week when he turns up in Holby ED demanding help for his younger colleague Sean Redmond (Seth Somers) who has been injured in theatre.

Robert Bathurst as Russell in a hospital gown and in a ward bed looking frail. — Russell ends up as a patient in Holby ED - and he's not very happy about it! (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Russell fails to railroad Faith

As Sean is stitched up by Rida Amman (more on this below), an agitated Russell is evasive about what caused him to slice Sean’s arm open while they were operating on a patient.

Despite his larger-than-life presence, advanced clinical practitioner Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell) suspects there’s something Russell isn’t telling them about his health and insists he lets her examine him - no excuses!

Faith is taking no nonsense from Russell! (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

What's he hiding and will he be back?

We don’t want to give too much away here, other than to say, it’s not long before Faith and Tariq Hussein (Manpreet Bachu) are working to save Russell’s life.

Is this a one-time only guest role for Robert, or will we be seeing more from the intriguing medic in future episodes?

An image of Robert Bathurst as new Casualty surgeon Russell dressed in a suit beside Olly Rix in scrubs as new clinical lead Flynn. — Robert Bathurst and Olly Rix are part of some upcoming new storylines! (Image credit: BBC Studios/BBC/ALISTAIR HEAP)

Stevie’s secret grief

With Siobhan McKenzie on compassionate leave following the death of her husband Rich Walker, Stevie Nash - Rich’s secret lover! - is putting on a brave face at work.

The cracks start to show, however, when Siobhan (Melanie Hill) turns up and demands to know why Stevie (Elinor Lawless) was the last person that Rich (Michael Keogh) called, when she’d sworn their affair was over.

Stevie’s silence speaks a thousand words and, hurt, Siobhan bans her from Rich’s funeral.

Stevie puts on a brave face before going to work. — Stevie puts on a brave face, but the cracks are starting to show... (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Fragile friends

Brokenhearted and in need of distraction, Stevie, who is acting clinical lead while Siobhan and Dylan Keogh are off, turns her attention to a deeply unpleasant task. She orders Faith to open her locker so she can search for stolen drugs following last week’s theft using the recovering addict’s hospital pass.

Again, without giving too much away, best friends Stevie and Faith end up having a massive row, which leads to Faith being sent home. Is it curtains for their lifelong friendship?

Faith ends up facing Stevie's wrath. (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Faith’s temptation

Back at home in an empty house, Faith contemplates taking the pills that spiteful addict Astrid Watson (Gina Isaac) left behind to tempt her. Just as she’s making her decision, the struggling medic receives a message from school that her son Luka has gone missing!

Not long after this, paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) arrives home. He’s been discharged earlier than expected from hospital following his near-fatal clifftop fall.

What will Iain find when he turns the key in the door?

Faith eyes up a box of pills. Will she relapse? — Can Faith fight temptation? (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Luka in danger?

Meanwhile, Luka (recurring Casualty star Tom Mulheron), is struggling with his father’s death and his mother’s addiction as he enters a new phase in his life.

Will anyone find him before he comes to harm at a disused train station?

Luka bunks off school to spend time in a disused railway station. — Will Luka come to harm when he bunks off school? (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Also in Casualty this week…

In the midst of her grief, shame and anxiety, Stevie also discovers that she’s not secured the ED clinical lead role. And while she doesn’t know yet who is taking over, we do: her new boss is this fella! Will she be pushed to breaking point?

Stevie Nash sits in a boardroom meeting looking upset. — Fragile Stevie misses out on the clinical lead role after a difficult second interview. (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Russell’s appearance in the ED facilitates a reconciliation between nurse Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) and Sean. As she treats the injured registrar, Rida voices her displeasure at his failure to call her as promised. But, once they get over that awkward hurdle, the pair get their Flirty McFlirt on! Could this be the start of something special?

Rida looks coyly at Sean. — Could this be love? (Image credit: BBS Studios.)

Ngozi Okoye (Adesuwa Oni) is troubled as she confides in Cam Mickelthwaite (Barney Walsh) that Nicole Piper (Sammy T. Dobson) is on the mend, but that she’s returning to her son in Nigeria in the near future. Will this spell the end of her romance with Nicole?

Ngozi struggles. (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

And, last but by no means least, Jodie Whyte is the talk of Holby!

A scandalous exposé podcast has picked up the story about her sleeping with Aaron Bayliss (Jack Wilkinson) and they’ve come up with some nasty nicknames for both her and Dylan Keogh (William Beck).

Jodie (Anna Chell) attempts to brazen out the rumours and whispering at work, but fails to keep her cool when a patient’s father demands another nurse cares for his daughter!

Elsewhere, Aaron is anxious as the body of his wife, Thea, is exhumed, and Dylan remains on enforced leave as he awaits the result of the investigation into her death.

Aaron looks on in tears as his wife's body is removed from her grave. — Aaron holds a graveside vigil as his wife's body is removed. (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Dylan is passing the time painting his barge (where he has some rather fetching red geraniums, although his spider plant looks like it’s getting too much sunlight and needs a tad more water, if you ask us) and listening to the damning podcast.

Back at the ED, Stevie has no option but to take the troubled nurse off duty after her meltdown and, Jodie being Jodie, she hits The Anchor and gets trashed instead of heading home for an early night.

At some point, after one drink too many, lonely Jodie decides to pay Dylan a boat call and make him an indecent proposal!

Ahh, drunken logic, the enemy of common sense, strikes again.

Will Dylan send her packing?

embargoed 18/02/25 Dylan in navy overalls, standing on his boat, receiving call about the crash. — How will Dylan deal with a problematic Jodie? (Image credit: BBC Studios.)

Casualty episode Unearthed airs on BBC1 on Saturday 01 March 2025 at 8.30pm. The episode is available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.

If you are affected by any of the storylines in this week's Casualty, please know that help, support and information is available from BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/